JOY

Joy was about three years old when she arrived on June 5, 2004. Her people had gotten her at the Erie County Fair from someone who supposedly said she'd be destroyed if they didn't take her. She spent her next three years tied to a dog house in Orchard Park. The people thought it was funny when the landlord mowed the lawn and she'd panic and tow the house across the yard. I received a call that they were moving and needed a temporary home for Joy. They got my name from the SPCA and agreed to support her and provide her dog house until they could take her back. I was shocked when Joy arrived, loose in the open trunk of their car. At any point she could have jumped out onto the road resulting in certain injury if not death. Her harness had started to grow into her back because it hadn't been let out in some time. A inch deep indentation was the result. Their reason for not loosening the harness was that it was "too difficult". Joy moved in, the harness was removed and her people disappeared. They never brought the dog house, never checked on her, never contributed to her care, and left an invalid phone number. I had no last name to track "Shawn and Julie", and thus I became the happy owner of this delightful little pig. She lives up to her name, has a sweet, gentle disposition, and gets along well with her "roommates". She still has a slight indentation in her back, but has not worn a harness since hers was removed when she arrived. She comes when called and is generally very well behaved and obedient. The exception is when she comes into heat. She is almost unbearable and difficult to manage. I would guess this behavior is why her people abandoned her. It would be best to have her spayed, but the care of the special needs pigs depletes our finances, making her spay a wishful thought. Spaying prevents bad behaviors and health problems. As many as 85% of older pigs develop cancer if not spayed and as Joy ages she becomes increasingly at risk. Her surgery is on my wish list of "gotta do's".